Young Adult Literature without Apology

Amy's assessment of contemporary young adult literature, organized by author and title, censored by noone.

Realistic | Romance | Science Fiction | Historical Fiction | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery

Westerfield, Scott (2004). So Yesterday. NY: RazorBill. 225 pages. ISBN: 159514000X.

Hunter's name fits his employment and describes his obsession: he's a "cool hunter", who searches the streets of Manhattan for Innovators who pioneer the next big fashion and activity trends. Hunter's photographed finds are gobbled up by big brand designers who re-work and market the trends back to kids on the street for major bucks. When Hunter meets Jen, a fashion innovator with cool shoelaces, the two become involved in a mysterious movement of "Jammers" who seek to disrupt the system of capitalist driven cool.
How can you talk about what's cool without referencing brand names and dating yourself with already outdated historical and cultural references? Where do these ideas of what's cool come from, anyway? Westerfield's book is exciting and funny, clever and well-written and thought-provoking without being didactic. With Hunter, we're led to think a little bit more about what we consume, why we consume it, and how we "fit in" (or not) in a world where cool is capital.